


Joy in Wretchedness

by rexdaemoniorum



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Boy King of Hell Sam Winchester, Evil Sam Winchester, Gen, Hell, One-Sided Attraction, Stockholm Syndrome, Unrequited Love, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-13 08:30:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16889127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rexdaemoniorum/pseuds/rexdaemoniorum
Summary: From the boyking!Sam discord server: “Write about how Hell’s celebrations of victory in war or annual celebrations, etc.) look like.”Sam and his demons celebrate a victory against Heaven. But not before the king finds himself a plus one on the battlefield.





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Whew, first post on AO3! Hello! Please enjoy my first little piece while I struggle to figure out how this site works.

Heaven and Hell were at war. Angels had invaded in countless numbers, determined to kill the king once and for all. But after what seemed like an eternity of relentless slaughter, the last of Heaven’s soldiers were at his mercy. The bodies of angels were strewn everywhere, scavenged on by Hell’s egregious fauna.

 

“My, my,” the king sighed, cocking his head slightly. “What were you guys thinking?”

 

The angel wasn’t sure how he expected an answer with a shoe pressing his face into the ground. Perhaps he’d prefer this view as opposed to the bloodbath around them.

 

“I’m sure invading Hell sounded like a good idea at the time.” He bent down, keeping his foot planted firmly on the angel’s head before straightening back up as a voice rang out from behind him.

 

“Zadkiel!” Another angel called out hoarsely, clawing at the ground while his legs were crushed in the jaws of an enormous hellhound. The archdemon turned his nose up at the sight and let out a whistle. The dog dragged its prey off, and the screaming slowly died down. The king turned back to the angel at his feet.

 

“Is that your name?” He asked, a suspiciously kind tone in his voice. “Zadkiel?”

 

The angel didn’t dare respond. He knew better than to waste a breath on the abomination.

 

“Well, Zadkiel,” the king raised an arm, and his denizens began to flock around them. “How’d you like to attend the celebration?”

 

* * *

 

The demons jeered and howled as their king parted the crowd, the lone angel in tow (and handcuffs). Even without the demon’s foot pressing his face into the ground, Zadkiel kept his head down.

 

A pair of robed cronies caught up to the two of them, coming around the front of the king and clasping a black feathered cape over his shoulders. It brushed against Zadkiel as they proceeded down the hall, and his heart dropped as he recognized where the feathers came from.

The king turned his head and smiled back at him, as if he could sense the dread that washed over his guest.

 

Zadkiel was not personally familiar with the abomination before now. Sam Winchester, his name was. All he knew was what the angels had told him- born of human parents, tainted with the demonic blood of their long fallen brother Azazel, and finally claiming Hell’s throne after a lifetime of denying his own birthright.

 

Sam walked the angel to the main hall, where tables with banquets upon banquets of food were presented. Upon closer inspection, Zadkiel noticed the table legs were actual legs, parts of fossilized bodies. Skeletal hands reached up from the table, palms upward, holding bunches of fruit from which the demons took, decadently feeding themselves and each other whilst celebrating their victory. They murmured praises to their king as he walked past, erupting into cackles and guffaws as the angel trailed behind.

 

“Hey, now,” Sam crooned, taking Zadkiel under his arm and pulling him close. “This is our guest. Hands off him, alright..?” With his other hand, the demon king plucked a pomegranate off the decorative display and took a bite. “I want my friend Zadkiel here to see what we’re about down here.”

 

The two wove through the crowd, the young angel still pulled close to Sam. Even though the intimacy of the gesture filled him with unease, it somewhat protected Zadkiel from the throngs of leering demons surrounding him. And he would rather take his chances with the king. Maybe he’d kill him sooner.

 

His thoughts were interrupted by the king holding a cup to his face.

 

“Wine?” He asked. Zadkiel swallowed the uncertainty in his throat and shook his head. Sam eyed him peculiarly and handed it off to one of the demons nearby.

 

“Suit yourself.” They finally reached the end of the crowd, and Sam loosened his grip and turned to face Zadkiel. “Doesn’t it feel nice having a choice? Having free will? It’s as simple as refusing a drink.” Sam said with a smile, and all that underlying malice seemed to have disappeared.

 

Zadkiel finally built up the strength to do more than shake his head. “I didn’t have a choice when you slaughtered my brethren and forced me to come to this.. lecherous gathering.”

 

Surprisingly, the king’s demeanor remained respectful.

 

“Your brethren felt it necessary to storm my domain with the intent of killing me. I don’t think you had the option to politely decline, now, did you?”

 

Zadkiel didn’t say anything. Sam was handed a bejeweled goblet by one of his demons, and he took a sip of what the angel assumed to be wine.

 

“I’m not going to kill you, Zadkiel. Not yet. Not before I give you a chance to experience free will for yourself.”

 


	2. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even after the celebration, Sam is keeping the angel Zadkiel at his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m glad you all really enjoyed the first chapter! Here is another one :)

Zadkiel was basically a glorified shadow at this point. Still not given permission to leave, he sat anxiously at the feet of the throne while the king went about his business. Demons came and went, awkwardly kneeling to their lord whilst exchanging ill-timed glances at the angel a couple feet away.

 

The hellhounds surrounded them, lazily splayed across the brimstone floor, their monstrous, hulking forms rising and falling gently with each breath. Zadkiel passed most of the time watching them. Heaven didn’t have creatures like this. At least, not to his knowledge. He noticed multiple of the hounds perk up and look towards him before he noticed the king behind him was calling his name.

 

“Zadkiel,” he started, saying that name like it was an old friend already, “I think we’re acquainted enough to.. lose the cuffs, y’know? C’mere.” He beckoned the angel close, unlocking the fortified metal and letting them clatter onto the ground as he leaned back again. He noticed Zadkiel’s skepticism at the gesture, promptly straightening back up and answering the angel’s wordless question.

 

“You’re not necessarily a threat, anymore.. what could you do? ..Call for help?” He teased with a grin, looking side-to-side with his eyes while his head stayed still. “If I’m gonna keep you here, I might as well make you as comfortable as possible.” He explained with a shrug.

 

“But why keep me here? Your celebration is over.” Zadkiel was afraid he’d be wasting his words soon enough, almost certain he already was when the king replied.

 

“Same reason I don’t consider you a threat. All your brethren are dead. You’re in no rush.”

 

With that, the king stood up.

 

“Let’s take a walk.”

 

* * *

 

Begrudgingly, Zadkiel followed him out of the throne room. The torches lit the cavernous halls, casting a fluctuating orange glow over the king’s hulking frame. He noticed the angel looking at him, and Zadkiel quickly looked straight ahead.

 

“You know,” the king began, keeping up the pace. “Hell is actually.. pretty beautiful.”

 

The angel practically recoiled at the statement.

 

“What could possibly be beautiful about a land built on blood, bone, and agony?”

 

The mouth of the palace opened up and the two found themselves overlooking a horizon lit by eternally blazing flames. The cloudy, smoggy sky rumbled overhead, and the archdemon’s expression was pure serenity.

 

“Well- those things are because of the souls.” His voice had become politely informative. “I’m willing to bet if you scrubbed this place clean of all the aching, screaming spirits inside, you’d just have.. a landscape unlike anything on Heaven or Earth.”

 

“That’s never going to happen, _my_ _lord_..” Zadkiel teased.

 

“It’s Sam,” the king corrected. When met with a confused glance, he turned to Zadkiel. “You don’t have to mock me, you know. I consider you an acquaintance. ..So just call me Sam.”

 

Zadkiel’s brethren were above referring to him as that. He was an abomination. The scourge of Heaven. It was as if their first job was to strip him of as much personhood as possible.

 

Sam turned to their left and proceeded down the path downwards into the trench-like valleys of Hell.

 

“Anyway, it’s a little silly of you to tell you what I can do with my domain.” Though he’d been attempting to seem friendly, the underlying menace in his voice came back one last time. “Suffering forever doesn’t sound fair. I think eventually, everybody learns their lesson.” He held out an arm and stopped, making Zadkiel listen to the distant screaming and howling. It had been occurring continuously since he first entered Hell, so he’d almost gotten used to it. “Especially in a place like this.”

 

“What, so you’re going to rehabilitate these souls? Sure, Heaven will take the ones in Limbo, but certainly not every single sinner that takes enough beatings down here.”

 

Demons roamed the dark corners and crags around them, bowing their heads to Sam as they passed.

 

“I don’t mean that. Some will stay here forever. Those with no intent on changing. Some will be taken into Heaven’s.. merciful arms.. Others, though, will spend the rest of time roaming. There are rivers to cross and drink from, mountains to pass, creatures to fight and hunt ..” Sam’s voice fell to a murmur, “but I’m sure you knew _that_ one.”

 

The angel thought it’d be best to ignore what he just said. “And it will help change them for the better?”

 

Sam nodded earnestly. “This is a different life. Sired into becoming demons this way, well.. that’ll drastically reduce the likelihood of them meddling in human affairs. And that is very important to me.”

 

So far, Zadkiel wasn’t seeing any glaring flaws in the king’s plans. It was almost suspicious. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say that the king of demons was rather thoughtful and courteous towards the wellbeing of Earth- an idea that went against the entire image Zadkiel’s fellow angels tried to sell him.

 

“Don’t you agree..” Sam started, snapping Zadkiel’s attention back to the present, “..that that’d make Hell a little more.. beautiful?”

 

The angel stared at him, almost unwilling to humor him. But with that polite smile and those kind, ethereal eyes, he found it difficult to follow through.

 

“..I suppose so, Sam.”

 


	3. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and his angelic visitor reflect on the nature of free will.

It was a common belief angels had that demons were devoid of love, passion, and empathy, among other things. And if there’s anything they put emphasis on in the days before the invasion, it’s that their king was the most evil, twisted, and conniving of them all.

  
Zadkiel hated to admit it, but he was beginning to think otherwise.

  
Though hostile at first, Sam quickly became welcoming and kind to his guest, making room for honesty and open conversation as time went on. There was no reason to believe he had an ulterior motive- now that the rest of the angels were history.

  
Now, the two sat at the edge of the river of Lethe, peering down at the half-conscious souls rushing through the stream.

  
“What are these doing in here?” inquired Zadkiel as he loomed over the water’s edge.

  
The demon king didn’t bother moving.  
“The Lethe is the river of forgetfulness,” he grabbed Zadkiel’s shirt and pulled him back. “The souls that fall in lose their memory. And the longer they’re under, the more they forget. Until all they know how to do is swim.”

  
“How.. grim,” the angel remarked with a tremble in his voice.

  
“You don’t have to worry. You angels don’t have souls, so I doubt it’d have an effect on you.”

  
Zadkiel’s brows furrowed in thought and he turned back to his host.

  
“I know,” he sat back. “Was just making an observation. And the situation.. is grim.”

  
Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the king was looking at him rather peculiarly.

  
“I understand what it’s like.. not having a soul.” Sam sat cross-legged and faced him with his elbows on his knees. “I didn’t have one for a bit. Running on instinct, and reason.. it’s, uh.. an interesting way to live.”

  
How the hell did that happen? Zadkiel couldn’t help but think about it. “Indeed,” was all he managed to say.

  
“Doesn’t it get exhausting?” Sam asked, phrasing the question as if trying to get a certain response out of him. “Why not let your emotions determine your choices?”  
The angel gave no answer. He wouldn’t let himself get that comfortable.

  
“I’m sorry,” backpedaled the king. “I made it sound like you have choices.”  
That moment was like a switch flipping in Zadkiel’s brain.

  
“..Well, how about this?” And with that, he swung a fist at Sam, clocking him in the jaw and sending him falling back. He clambered on top of the demon in an attempt to pin him down, but Sam wasn’t even paying attention to that, having given no attempts to fight back. He looked up at the angel with an almost bored expression.

  
“I should know better than to let you speak ill of me and my brethren! It’s my fault for trusting you and thinking these actions were out of respect for me! You’re nothing b-“

  
The king’s sizable hand seized his throat and held him off as he sat back up.  
“I’m sorry, Zadkiel, I think we got some wires crossed back there.” His grip tightened and the angel began to paw frantically at his neck. “I only said that out of concern for your freedom.”

  
Watching his mouth contort into a breathless attempt at a rebuttal, Sam continued. “It’s just a shame to think of all the poor angels, coerced into fighting Heaven’s fruitless battles. Carrying out their monotonous commands, y’know? At least my demons have a little free will to use their spare time however they wish.”

  
His grip on Zadkiel’s throat loosened and he gasped in a breath before speaking.

  
“D-do they?”

  
“Well, not completely. I’ve stopped demon deals and especially heinous acts against humans, but anything other than that? Fair game. So, far more than you.” He let Zadkiel go and placed him back where he had been sitting.

  
“Do you ever have choices what you do with your life? Don’t you wish you did, Zadkiel?”

  
“Are you suggesting I rebel against Heaven?”

  
The king shrugged. “Suggesting is more polite than insisting.” He scratched the back of his neck, looking down in sincere shame. “I’m sorry for the way I phrased it. I meant no harm to you personally.”

  
Silence befell the two for what seemed like an hour, and Zadkiel figured it’d be in their best interests to just drop it. Even so, he was too taken aback at the blatant defiance of everything he’d been led to believe. That demons weren’t diplomatic, respectful, or apologetic in the slightest. How much more was he taught that wasn’t even true?

  
They became aware of the sound of rushing water once again, and Sam looked up to the looming peaks from which they came.

  
“Maybe we should head back now,” he said solemnly.


	4. IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zadkiel notices a soft spot in Sam. Or two. And maybe even one in himself.

When the two of them proceeded to the throne room, it seemed as if the way back had become completely different. Zadkiel wouldn’t put it past Hell to be constantly shifting and changing. Heaven did the same thing.

 

“Now, I’ve got some business to attend to, Zad,” Sam looked over his shoulder at the angel he’d nicknamed just now. “But I’ve taken the liberty of making it more comfortable for you.” He reached out in front of him with a hand and willed the stony ground upward, unbothered by the sudden grinding sounds as the space beside his throne shifted and settled into a makeshift seat.

 

“I know you’d be embarrassed, sitting at my feet again. Hope this is a little better.” He said with a brief smile before stepping up and placing himself on his throne.

 

Zadkiel stood awkwardly in place at first, turning around at the randomly dispersed demons in the room. Then, hesitantly, he proceeded Sam and sat down on the stone chair.

 

“Your Majesty,” one demon said, taking her chance to approach briefly after he’d taken his seat, “your new laws on our vessels of choice—“

 

“ _ Meatsuits _ ,” hissed Sam. “ _ Vessels  _ almost implies that you have a right to inhabit them. Which you don’t. None of you do. Which is why you are  _ prohibited _ from taking bodies that belong to living humans.”

 

“I’m sorry, m-my lord, it’s just.. ‘meatsuit’ is such an.. unsightly word, you know.” The demon’s eye contact began to falter.

 

Sam was taken aback by the demon’s response. Just watching him made the hairs on the back of Zadkiel’s neck stand up.

 

“Unsightly? Well, wh- what else is possession? It’s ugly, unsightly, it’s  _ horrible—“  _ he leaned forward in his throne, hands gripping the arms like he were holding on for dear life. “If it makes you feel ashamed to do it, or talk about it, then it’s working. It’s doing exactly what I wanted it to.  _ No  _ living bodies. Am I understood?”

 

“Yes, my king,” responded the demon, visibly shaken up by the murder in the eyes of her superior. The eerie yellow glow was even noticeable in the black void of her own. Her legs trembled and one knee collapsed beneath her, before ducking her head in a shitty excuse for a bow. Gathering herself and stumbling back, she scrambled away while refusing eye contact with everybody else she passed.

 

Sam raised his head and projected to all the demons present in his throne room.

 

“Am I understood?”

 

“Yes, my king!” They called out in unison.

 

For Zadkiel, watching him talk about possession was a spectacle. His grip was stark-white, his teeth clenched like he was going to grind them to dust. It was malice he hadn’t even seen in the warzone, as Sam ripped through angels like it was nothing. That was intimidation.  _ This  _ was a personal, harrowing darkness made especially clear when talking about controlling human bodies.

 

Surprisingly, the same fire within Sam seemed to quell just as easily as it ignited, and demons with more modest, agreeable consultations followed suit. They stood before him with all sorts of inquiries and messages, all the same in how they bowed their heads and fell to their knees with nothing but the utmost respect. None of them even called him ‘Sam’. When Zadkiel looked at him, he often..

 

..Well, even though Zadkiel looked at him a lot, he had never fully registered his looks. He was an incredibly handsome, charming individual. The angel had a perfect view of that stunning profile, the way his hair swept down the curve of his neck and curled back upwards. And despite his smooth personality, he was all edges. That nose, those cheekbones, that jawline—

 

Only after a solid minute of fantasizing about Sam did the angel realize what he was doing. He shook his head and shuffled in his seat in attempt to clear his thoughts before noticing that such actions had distracted the conversation Sam was having with the next demon in front of him.

 

..“I’m sorry,” Sam mumbled dismissively. “Continue.”

 

“Well- where was I?”

 

“Uh, the man who summoned you.”

 

“Ah, yes-  _ thank you, my lord _ — uh, I didn’t take his soul, given his request seemed to be quite unreasonable and unfitting of your laws. Nonetheless, he struck me as a man of immense wealth.” The demon began to fumble in his pockets. “He’d even left some offerings, supposedly under the impression that I would not appear otherwise.” He pulled out an extravagant gold carcanet, studded with glistening, blood-red jewels. “This particular piece struck my eye.” He looked up, stepping forward and holding it out to Sam.

 

“I believed such a beautiful object would simply begin to encapsulate my devotion to you, my king- if only a little.” He gently put it in Sam’s hand and closed it before placing a kiss on his knuckle.

 

Sam then brought the piece up close, his catlike eyes narrowing as he inspected it.

 

“Now,  _ that _ is truly something. Zadkiel, look at this.” He held it up so the angel could see, dangling it just so it spun slightly.

 

“It would look nice on you,” the angel said with a slight mumble, regretting the words as soon as they came out. The subject in front of them looked at him with what Zadkiel could only assume to be malice. But Sam was flattered, his chuckle exposing a bright smile that was so unlike a demon king. “You think so?”

 

The angel’s throat tickled. “Yeah,” he managed to murmur. 

 

It felt as if a pit were opening up inside of his chest, swirling like an opened drain at the bottom of a deep, deep pool of water. Something was stirring inside him, inside the long-dead vessel he’d been riding in, as if the emotions that once inhabited the body were risen again. He could explain it like that, but he knew they were his.

 

Emotions, feelings.. he could feel them blossoming, cultivating flowers of thoughts and sensitivities unheard of by his kind. 

 

And the first one that was manifesting was admiration.


	5. V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zadkiel is curious about Sam’s intentions and desires.

It had been a while since the two had another conversation. With their rather tense exchange on the Lethe, they must have both agreed to keep their thoughts to themselves. Other than brief, casual questions and answers, nothing else was said.

 

_ “Suggesting is more polite than insisting.” _

 

Despite being stuck in the back of his head, Sam’s words weren’t in the forefront of Zadkiel’s thoughts at the moment. And even though they spoke very little since, he rarely took his eyes off of the king. 

 

When he looked at Sam, Zadkiel was reminded of what his elder brothers and sisters used to say- that the archangel Lucifer used to be the most beautiful among them. Perhaps he’d chosen a vessel suitable enough to return him to his former elegance. 

 

“Sam,” the angel’s voice was only above a whisper. “You seemed.. disturbed.. when that one demon brought up possession.”

 

Like they’d gone back to that very moment, Sam’s face dropped and his demeanor was on the defensive once again. Closing his eyes and taking in a breath, he turned to the demon before him.

 

“You’re dismissed,” growled Sam. “You’re all dismissed. Get out  _ now _ .” 

 

Unable to hesitate under the orders of their king, the demons hurriedly bowed their heads and proceeded out of the room in murmuring clusters. Sam threw his arm forward and the large doors to the throne room slammed behind them. Then, slowly lowering it back down to his side, he turned his head back to Zadkiel, who couldn’t help but notice the light leaving his eyes.

 

“It’s a horrible, horrible thing, Zadkiel.” His voice was low and void of emotion. He looked at the ground for a brief moment before meeting the angel’s eyes again.

 

“I was possessed.. multiple times, in fact, but.. specifically, by..” his eyes narrowed and it seemed like the burning yellow points only grew in size, “.. _ him _ .”

 

“Him?”

 

“ _ Lucifer _ ,” hissed Sam, as if he knew the Morningstar was on Zadkiel’s mind. “I couldn’t run from him. I couldn’t fight back. All I could do was endure what he put me through, and hope it’d end someday.” His lips pulled back in a silent snarl, and Zadkiel began to understand the human emotion of fear.

 

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to figure out how to make him suffer. And if that means torturing and killing every angel that gets in my way, then so be it.”

 

Zadkiel’s eyes had been shut for a while now, just having realized that Sam wasn’t keeping him around as a guest. He felt one of those large hands gripping his shoulder, felt the nails digging into his skin. His breath hitched and he couldn’t help but blurt out a response.

 

“Then why- why haven’t you killed me yet? Wh-why did you tell me to betray Heaven?” He said with a hint of betrayal.

 

Sam’s grip loosened and his thumb stroked up and down the angel’s shoulder. “I gave you the option because I like you. Maybe you’d even like to help me.” His expression was softer, but still holding something dark and sinister in his eyes.

 

“And turn against my brothers? I thought I made it clear I’m  _ not _ going to do that.” He pulled the king’s hand off, straightening up and swallowing the uncertainty in his throat.

 

“To them, Zadkiel, you’re as good as dead. Nobody in your little fleet returned to the nest, and that includes you. Take this as an opportunity to.. start over.” There was sincere concern in Sam’s voice. “You’ll have a lot more freedom here.”

 

Zadkiel’s lips quivered as he searched himself for an answer. After a brief moment of consideration, he shook his head and turned away. “I can’t. I-it’s not right. I can’t turn my back on them.”

 

“Even when they’ve turned your back on you?”

 

“I can’t _ , Sam!” _ the angel shouted. Sam straightened back up at the sudden outburst, blinking in shock before faltering back to a colder, calmer expression. 

 

“..Then I won’t waste anymore of your time, or mine.” The king stood up and stepped away from the throne before turning back to him and beckoning him closer. “Come, Zadkiel.”

 

Zadkiel’s heart leapt in his chest as he leapt out of his seat, stumbling over to Sam like his life depended on it. He wasn’t even sure what they were doing- he’d simply gotten so used to obeying him that he didn’t think twice. But before he could even register it, Sam grabbed him by the throat and held him upwards, unfazed by his dangling and thrashing legs.

 

“Give the other angels my condolences,” he crooned. “ _ Omnipotentis Dei potestatem invoco.. Omnipotentis Dei potestatem invoco _ ..”

 

Recognizing his words immediately, Zadkiel knew exactly what Sam was doing. He’d imagined that he was going to be escorted personally out of Hell, not blasted out with an anti-angel incantation. 

 

_ “Ab orbe terra, hunc angelum omne obsequendum _ ..” his words seemed as if they were slowly turning into muffled, droning sounds, but perhaps that was just Zadkiel losing his grip on his vessel. His hearing faded, his sight blurred, and yet he knew the words coming out of Sam’s mouth.

 

_ “Domine expuet, domine expuet.. Ut deum ad  empyreum remittat!” _

 

The last thing Zadkiel saw before being whisked away in his own light was those unwavering yellow eyes.


	6. VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been months since Sam sent Zadkiel home. Now, the angel has finally made it there.

It had been months since Heaven’s attempted invasion- and that was in Earth time. For Sam and the rest of his kingdom, it might as well have been ages ago. And given the few casualties on his side, it wasn’t a very significant event to begin with.

 

The king sat upon his throne, the fiery skies of Hell casting their light through the window above. Not many demons had come to see him today, but he certainly wasn’t complaining. He didn’t like his reading to be interrupted.

 

Splayed rather awkwardly in his throne, he held up a newly purchased book over his face. It was a generic book he’d found in a library on Earth. A cheesy mystery novel. He used to enjoy apocryphal texts, but that was before he met the creatures the books mentioned and they all turned out to be assholes.

 

_ If horrible writing was a sin, I’d drag this guy down here myself, _ Sam thought as he read. He wasn’t even done with the second chapter. It’s as if the author challenged himself to include every boring, hardboiled stereotype in existence. 

 

Eventually, the doors at the end of the hall began to open, giving Sam the push he needed to ditch the book for now. Two guards slowly entered, dragging behind them a chained-up, bruised and battered prisoner. They often brought recently turned demons to the throne room to pay their respects to their new king, which their freedom from the racks frequently hinged upon. As they came closer, Sam could see this was another one of those instances.

 

Throwing the demon forward, one of the guards promptly barked out orders.

 

“Face your king! Look upon him and bow!” She commanded with a swift kick to the poor sap’s ribs. Scrambling onto his knees, the demon looked.. rather happy to see him.

 

“Sam,” he wheezed, sounding like he must have screamed himself hoarse. “Sam, it’s me..” He struggled in the chains in an attempt to get closer. “It’s Zadkiel.”

 

Sam was taken aback by his words, holding up a hand and stopping the guards from further battering Zadkiel for referring to him improperly. He then got up from his throne and knelt down to get a better look at his old friend.

 

“I did it for you, Sam,” he rasped, squeezing his tearful eyes shut. Without turning his head, Sam gestured for the demons to come and release him. “I fell from Heaven, and secured my place here, in Hell.. for you.” 

 

The king briefly nodded to the guards, who bent over and unlocked the chains. Upon being freed, Zadkiel scrambled into Sam’s arms like it was the only safe place in the world.

 

“You taught me about freedom, and-.. and control.. and love. And when I returned to Heaven, I found none of those things. Just like you said. I missed those feelings, the liberation.. but most of all.. I missed you. I needed to be around you again.” He buried his face in Sam’s chest, who began to gently stroke his head.

 

Things had gone exactly according to plan. With the rest of Zadkiel’s fleet dead and gone, the king had exposed him to the demons’ enjoyment of free will, luring him in like a moth to flame. Desperate to understand a self-owned, unpredictable lifestyle like that of his subjects, Zadkiel set his wings ablaze and plummeted into depravity, lucky enough to fall into the arms of his new king.

 

“Well, then..” crooned Sam, cupping his new disciple’s face in his hands. “Welcome home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it! Thank you so much for enjoying this fic and encouraging me to continue! I hope you like what else I have planned as well :) if you didn’t come from there, feel free to follow my tumblr, rex-daemoniorum !


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